Rooftop
by sugoiauriga
Summary: Last night's yakiniku party had been reckless and good fun, and everybody was happy with the celebrations regardless whether they won or lost...But Fuji was still upset.


"Tezuka"

Tezuka turned to look at him "What's wrong?"

Fuji's head hung low, his eyes still shut as usual, brows marred in a frown, hands clenched at his sides. "I'm sorry I lost the match," he said, softly, more than a whisper, but clearly with remorse. Tezuka heard it nevertheless.

"You're still upset" the bespectacled youth stated more than asked.

Last night's yakiniku party had been reckless and good fun, and everybody was happy with the celebrations regardless whether they won or lost.

..But Fuji was still upset.

.

Leaning with his back against the fence, Fuji sighed, "I underestimated Shiraishi".

Tezuka listened, facing the wire fence, looking down at the scenery below him.

"I had him take five games away. That was stupid." Fuji then turned to face the fence and clutched it tightly. The memories resurface in his mind. I realized way too late. Only after Echizen came up to me." Fuji grit his teeth.

"Echizen did good then." Tezuka replied.

"Mataku, He truly is awesome, told me I didn't belong on the ground. Really, he is something." Fuji recalls fondly.

.

This time Tezuka looked at him.

.

"Remember what you told me after my match against Echizen in the rain? You asked me where the real me was. I thought about that when I was lying on the ground, you know. Asked myself that question, whether I was fit for the nationals or not."

"Have you found out?'" Tezuka asked quietly.

Fuji looked up at the sky. "Saa, who knows..but I came back after that right? After Echizen showed up" Fuji chuckled at himself while blinking at the afternoon sky. He moved his head down and smiled to himself "I thought losing would be disappointing."

"Changing the course of Tsubame Gaeshi, Higuma Otoshi, Kirin Otoshi, refusing shiraishi to seal your techniques" Tezuka enumerated, startling Fuji. Astounded, Fuji stared at Tezuka who continued talking, unfazed by his reaction.

"then that, Hecatonchires no Monban," Tezuka then proceeded to describe Hecatonchires no Monban, finishing with "..Shiraishi didn't even get a point. No one would've thought you'd cook up something like that."

Fuji turned back and leaned against the fence once more. "I thought _you_ did," Fuji murmured quietly.

Fuji remembered how good he felt the moment Shiraishi's shots couldn't get pass the net. But Shiraishi was a genius too. Tezuka didn't warn him before the match for nothing.

"Somehow I did expect you to do something, but well… nevermind" Tezuka looked toward the horizon. "Tezuka, _Shiraishi_ sealed it. And _I_ was desperate, _that's why the ball came out_." Fuji countered, a bit more rushed, facing Tezuka more fully.

"Tezuka, I am still sorry that I lost," this time, a plea.

"Hmm…You never let anyone seal your counters anyway," Tezuka never really heard the apology.

Silence

"besides," Tezuka shifted to look at him properly.

"…You fought for Seigaku until the end."

"I know." Fuji didn't see Tezuka's small smile as he said this quietly.

"Thank you."

Fuji head shot up and locked his gaze with Tezuka's, speechless.

"Thank you for fighting for us, for Seigaku, until the end." (1)

"Thank you, Fuji." Tezuka stepped closer.

"Te..zuka" Fuji's eyes opened wider, a deep cerulean blue.

"I'm proud of you. I really am." Tezuka placed his right hand on fuji's left cheek. "You did great" Tezuka's thumb brushed against Fuji's cheek, soothing it until Fuji calmed down. Surprised by the gesture, but relaxed, Fuji leaned into the touch and covered Tezuka's hand with his own. "I know"

He fluttered closed his eyes and repeated, "I know"

….

Later in the Nationals Finals match, during Fuji's match with Niou.

Tezuka's question is answered and the truth is revealed.

"Fuji, where is the real you?"

...

"The real me is…" Fuji dashes forward, eyes closed, feeling the ball in his grasp.

"Right here, on court" and he hits a cord ball…

"when I'm fighting against you" to the phantom Tezuka on the other side of the net.

...

"With closed eyes, my heart feels you, only you, the real you, Tezuka Kunimitsu"

...

"Tezuka, after this tournament, will you have a match with me?" a proposal.

"Of course…" a smile

"anything you want." and a hand is raised up.

Fuji takes and seals it in a firm clasp,

And the promise, the vow, is renewed.

.

.

 **Notes:**

i made a rough draft of this when i was in my first tezuka x fuji high years ago (around 2013).I just rediscovered it hiding in one of my saved fics…and for some reason i was oddly satisfied when i read it again. i figured that i really can't remember why i made this. so i thought.. i'll just post it. this my first written fanfic lol..uhh editing the grammar is hard and i'm not sure what's wrong or right anymore (i really need to brush up my english). This was first posted in my tumblr: nuisancehelicopter on december 25, 2015

(1) a line from tezuka's "thank you" spiel is actually based from what he said to Fuji in pairpuri vol 10 "Words for the Two"


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